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Alexander S. Kritikos

DIW Berlin, University of Potsdam, and IZA, Germany

I am confident that IZA World of Labor will help bridge the gap between research and politics as it wraps evidence-based research findings in an abridged format for those who are interested in labor market issues but lack the time to dig deeply into the subject.

IZA World of Labor role

Author, Former Editor

Current position

Member of Executive Board and Research Director, German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Berlin, Germany and Professor at University of Potsdam, Germany

Research interest

Entrepreneurship research, behavioral economics, institutional economics

Website

http://bit.ly/Kritikos_DIWpage

Positions/functions as a policy advisor

Consultant to the German Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and to the German Labor Market Agency; Member of the Greek Commission on Economic Growth

Past positions

Vice President, DIW Head of Department, DIW

Qualifications

Dissertation in Economics, Humboldt University Berlin (1996)

Selected publications

  • “Pandemic Depression: COVID-19 and the Mental Health of the Self-Employed.” Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 47:3 (2023): 788–830 (with M. Caliendo, D. Graeber, J. Seebauer).

  • “COVID-19: a crisis of the female self-employed.” Journal of Population Economics 34 (2021), 1141–1187 (with D. Graeber, J. Seebauer).

  • “Business Cycles and Start-ups across Industries: an Empirical Analysis for German Regions.” Journal of Business Venturing 33:6 (2018) 742-761 (with A. Konon, M. Fritsch)

  • “The Link between R&D, Innovation and Productivity: Are Micro Firms Different?” Research Policy 45 (2016) 1263-1274 (with Julian Baumann).

  • “Personality characteristics and the decisions to become and stay self-employed.” Small Business Economics 42:4 (2014): 787–814 (with M. Caliendo and F. M. Fossen).

article(s)

  • Entrepreneurs and their impact on jobs and economic growth Updated

    Productive entrepreneurs can invigorate the economy by creating jobs and new technologies, and increasing productivity

    Alexander S. Kritikos, October 2024

    Entrepreneurs, creators of new firms, are a rare species. Even in innovation-driven economies, only 1–2% of the work force starts a business in any given year. Yet entrepreneurs, particularly innovative entrepreneurs, are vital to the competitiveness of the economy and may establish new jobs. The gains of entrepreneurship are only realized, however, if the business environment is receptive to innovation. In addition, policymakers need to prepare for the potential job losses that can occur in the medium term through “creative destruction” as entrepreneurs strive for increased productivity.

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